apothegm

American  

[ap-uh-them] / ˈæp əˌθɛm /

Or apophthegm

noun

1. a short, pithy, instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism.

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apothegm British  

/ ˈæpəˌθɛm /

noun

1. a variant spelling of apophthegm

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Other Word Forms

• apothegmatic adjective
• apothegmatical adjective
• apothegmatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of apothegm

First recorded in 1570–80; earlier apothegma, from Greek apóphthegma, equivalent to apophtheg- (variant stem of apophthéngesthai “to speak out”; apo- apo- + phthéngesthai “to speak”) + -ma noun suffix

Example Sentences

On Saturday, Broner apologized for his language, invoking an apothegm of his own invention.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 15, 2015

He was an apothegm slinger; he was unstoppable.

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2012

The Philip Green approach, "done and dusted, back to the beach", is not their style, any more than his apothegm: "I want to make a profit, not be a prophet."

From The Guardian • Aug. 21, 2010

Its subject is the continent of Africa; and its strangeness proves once more the truth of an ancient apothegm concerning truth and fiction.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Laugh and grow fat” is an apothegm which all people cannot follow, but our mother did in the most satisfactory manner.

From Marmaduke Merry A Tale of Naval Adventures in Bygone Days by Kingston, William Henry Giles